Action Project Worksheet
Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
Challenging
Simple
High Payoff
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Easy
Complex
Low
Action Project Idea: Evaluate and strengthen academic advising services for undergraduate students
including service provided by faculty advisors, the college advising centers, Continuing Education and the
Academic Advising Center.
1 Helping Students Learn
3 Understanding Students’ and Other
AQIP Criterion in which this primarily relates:
Stakeholders’ Needs
Related 6 Supporting Institutional Operations
Related 9 Building Collaborative Relationships
Briefly describe what you would like this Project to accomplish:
Primary
Related
This project would involve a comprehensive review of undergraduate academic advising services at
Eastern Michigan University to better respond to student advising needs. This project would entail
identifying and mapping the key processes of the units to determine potential areas of improvement, and
would provide the opportunity to identify barriers that exist. Documenting the process flow will eliminate
non-value-added practices, remove barriers, and create enhancements that would improve the student’s
academic advising experience.
Specific accomplishment could include:
1. Improved delivery of services to students new to the university.
2. Develop a seamless transition from general to programmatic advising services.
3. Increased coordination of advising services between the Academic Advising Center, the college
advising centers, Continuing Education and faculty advisors.
4. Improved delivery of advising services within faculty departments.
5. Increased motivation for students to utilize advising services.
Where did the idea or stimulus for this Action Project originate?
Representatives from several student leadership groups approached the Academic Advising Center to
inquire about academic advising services at Eastern Michigan University. They were expressing
anecdotal experiences of dissatisfaction with academic advising experiences and asked for a
reevaluation of our current practices.
Which specific needs of your students or other external stakeholders would be better met if you
accomplished this Project? How?
Student academic advising needs could be better met with a review/evaluation of services with
appropriate changes implemented. This would yield greater satisfaction with the EMU experience and
potentially more loyal alumni in the future.
Specific outcomes could include:
1. More efficient selection of courses by students could reduce unneeded electives.
2. This would to more cost effective degree completion for students.
3. Improve the university student retention and graduation rates.
4. Better informed and educated students will lead to greater student satisfaction.
How would doing this Project allow you to better meet your employees needs? Which,
specifically?
This project would improve the communication between staff and faculty who provide academic advising
services. It would enhance the recognition and importance of the academic advising function and provide
an incentive for providing improved service.
How would accomplishing this Project change or affect your institution’s culture?
This project would affect academic advising services and how they are provided to students. The
institution and responsible staff must be willing to objectively look at the data and student satisfaction in
order to understand what changes are needed. The institution must be willing to change its culture based
on results collected.
This project would create a greater respect for the role of academic advising as a responsibility and a key
factor in student success. There is much evidence showing a high correlation between effective academic
advising and student retention. It could also develop greater recognition and reward for the academic
advising activities of faculty.
What leadership and employee enthusiasm and support is there for doing this Project now?
In the past there have been several Academic Advising Task Force studies and two academic advising
consultations from Noel-Levitz and Ball State University. The University leadership has supported the
importance of these activities and created expanded services with the creation of college advising
centers.
There is a critical need to enhance the student experience during this period of budget and enrollment
challenges. Greater student enrollment, completion and satisfaction are critical to the success of Eastern
Michigan University.